Scooby's Quest
by Aurora Mandeville
Summary: Velma wins a trip to a weekend at the Quest mansion, but the day they get there, Dr. Quest and Race Bannon are kidnapped. Now, it's up to the gang, Hadji, Jessie, and Jonny Quest to save them.
1. Quest Gang Up

"Come on Shaggy, Scooby!" Fred called. He and the girls were waiting at the entrance to a mansion for the last two members of their group. The two in question came bounding out of the Mystery Machine, each with a small bag of goodies.

"Just a small bag?" Velma eyed them.

"What, there's, like, got to be a kitchen in this place, right?"

Velma rolled her eyes, "Possibly."

"Exactly, like, Scooby and I save the bulk of our snacks in case of an emergency," grinned Shaggy.

"Right," agreed Scooby, tossing a chip into his mouth. The other three sighed before following the munchers into the science lab.

"Velma Dinkley?"

"Yes, how are you, Dr. Quest?"

Dr. Quest shook Velma's hand, "Quite well, thank you. Are these the friends you mentioned in your reply?"

"Yes sir, they are. This is Fred, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo."

"Pleased to meet you all. This is my friend and head of security, Race Bannon, his daughter Jessie, my son Jonny, and my assistant, Hadji."

"Hi, how do you do?" came the various pleasantries.

"Well, now that introductions are taken care of, I need to run. I hope you don't mind, but Race and I are working on something important at the moment. Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji will show you around."

"Not at all, Dr. Quest, good luck on your project," Velma replied.

"Thank you, talk to you at dinner!" Dr. Quest and Race walked off, leaving the kids to entertain themselves.

"Well, how about we show you to your rooms before we take you on a tour of the place?" suggested Jessie.

"Sure, our bags are still in the van, though," replied Fred.

"No problem, we can help," Jonny grinned as he went out the front to help unload. With Jessie's, Jonny's, and Hedji's help, the bags were situated in their rooms quickly.

"So, what would you like to see first?" Hadji asked the gang.

"The kitchen!" Shaggy and Scooby replied eagerly.

"I wouldn't mind trying out QuestWorld, actually," offered Fred.

"Wait, why the kitchen?" Hadji asked Shaggy and Scooby.

"Food!" Everyone laughed.

"How about this, we take you through the rest of the house, then leave Shaggy and Scooby in the kitchen while we go check out QuestWorld," Jonny suggested.

"Are you sure? They'll eat you out of house and home!"

"As long as they only eat one sandwich each, any more, and they'll have to do all the housework," decided Jessie.

Shaggy and Scooby glanced at each other and grinned, "That's fine by us."

"What, the one sandwich or the housework?" wondered Jonny.

"The one sandwich."

"OK, good, cuz we're not a restaurant, we're a science lab. Now, let's show you around." Jonny and his friends showed the gang around the place, ending with Shaggy and Scooby in the kitchen while the rest went to check out QuestWorld.

"So, who wants to go first? We can do up to four people at a time," explained Hadji.

"Jess and I will show them around."

"Well, I'd like to see how the system works."

"Alright, looks like Daph and I will go into the game, then."

"Great! Come on,," said Jessie, leading the way to the four chairs.

"These are the controls, Velma." Hadji led Velma to a dashboard of buttons, levers, and lights. The two sat down and glanced over the board into the room where Jessie, Jonny, Fred, and Daphne were sitting, each with something like a pair of headphones over their ears.

. Jonny gave the thumbs up, "OK, Hadj, we're ready to go!"

"Alright, you will be connected in three, two, one!" Visors appeared over their eyes.

"Whoa!"

"Jeepers, this is amazing!"

"Is it anything like being in Eric's game?" wondered Velma.

"Not quite, in fact, I'd say this is better."

"Of course it's better, you're not likely to get killed in this."

"I don't know about that, Jonny, we've come pretty close to getting killed ourselves."

"But we have an easy escape with Hadji."

"That is correct, as long as nothing happens to me," quipped Hadji. Jonny sighed while the others snickered.

"Oh, fine, so it's probably just as dangerous as that game you got sucked into, but at least you have more control over it."

"Jonny," warned Jessie.

"OK, OK, where do you want to go?"

"How about that new mystery game Dr. Quest and Hadji programmed?"

"Uh, are you sure?"

"Yes!" came the unanimous reply.

Hadji laughed, "Very well, Mystery of the Code it is."

"Mystery of the Code?" asked Velma as Hadji pushed a few buttons.

"Yes, there will be ten scenarios, each based around a group of codes. Dr. Quest thought it would be more interesting if codes were specifically used in a mystery game. It's a work in progress, but the first two scenarios are completed. Which one do you want to do first, Haunted House or Museum?"

"Let's do the Haunted House."

"Sounds fine by me, Jonny. Fred, Daphne, what do you think?"

"Works for me."

"Same here."

"Alright, Haunted House simulation starting now." Exclamations of wonder emitted from the mouths of the players.

"Hadji, you and Dr. Quest outdid yourself on this."

Hadji chuckled, "Oh, thanks Jessie. We did have some help."

"Who?"

"Professor Kaufman and Eric Staufer."

"Jinkies! Professor Kaufman and Eric!"

Hadji nodded, "Yes, at least for these two. Dr. Quest wants to go more into the scientific for the next two."

Fred's voice came through a speaker, "So that's how Dr. Quest knew about us, from the Professor and Eric!"

Jonny's voice followed, "Yeah, they had talked about your adventures in the Scooby-Doo game when they helped Dad and Hadji with these levels. So when dad picked Velma's entry as the winner, he went to them to find out more about you." Hadji pulled up an image on a screen, the four were standing outside a, well, a haunted house.

"And now you're all here, a day early though."

"Dr. Quest asked that we come a day early," Velma informed them through a microphone.

"Really? Why would Dad ask you to come early?"

Velma shrugged, "We don't know, it didn't say in his letter, just asked us to come a day early. And we didn't get a chance to ask him about it when we arrived."

"Perhaps his project was going to take too long, so he asked you out here early so he could work on that and your project."

"Who knows, we'll find out at dinner. Right now, we have a game to play."

"Right Jessie, let's get started then." The four walked into the house, the floorboards creaking under their feet and the doors squeaked open.

"Jeepers! This really looks like a haunted house!"

"Yeah, let's split up and look for our first code."

"Right." Fred and Daphne walked further into the living room, while Jonny and Jessie went to check the kitchen. It wasn't long before there was a shout.

"I think I have it!" Jonny and Jessie rushed out of the kitchen.

"What is it, Daphne?" She showed them an old letter.

"That's the secret code?"

"No, but Daphne could be right, the secret code could be hidden in it."

"That makes sense, several people in the past wrote their messages in letters to hide them from the enemies," explained Velma.

"So, how do we find the code?"

"Look for anything that doesn't look right in a letter."

"Like these lines?"

"Good job, Jessie, that's probably it!"

Fred placed his finger under the lined letters, "So if we read just those, it says, 'I have left the treasure for you to find, each clue will be a test of your mind. To begin here is your first clue, look in the hole under the shoe.'"

"The hole under the shoe?"

"A closet?"

"It says the shoe, as in just one," pointed out Jessie.

Fred shrugged, "Well, let's start with the closets. Look for one shoe while you're looking."

"OK, but . . ."

"Like, help!"

"Relp!"

"Shaggy, Scooby?"

"What's going on? Hadji, can we come back to this point?" asked Fred.

"Yes," replied Hadji, closing down the system, just as an explosion thundered in the distance while Shaggy and Scooby barged into the room.

"Shaggy, Scooby, what happened?" asked Fred. He, Daphne, and Velma rushed to their friends while Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji rushed to another computer screen.

"Th-th-there was a m-m-monster!"

"Reah, a rig one!" Scooby outstretched his arms to show just how big.

Jessie gasped, "You mean, this monster?" The gang rushed to where Jessie sat. A video played on the screen of a giant spider trapping Dr. Quest and Race, and carrying them off.

"No, Dad, Race!"

"Gang, it looks like our next mystery just walked out the door."


	2. Some Clues

"Uh, guys, if we're going to help dad and Dr. Quest, we'd better get a move on." Jessie pointed at the window, another spider was climbing over the mansion and was heading their way.

"Zoinks! Scoob and I must have led it here!"

"It doesn't matter, whoever is after Dr. Quest and Race must know that holding Jessie and Jonny prisoner will get them to do anything."

"Right, and we're going to need a few things to get them back," stated Jessie. She got up and grabbed a few electronics, handing them to whoever was closest.

"Alright, we're going to have to make a dash for the Mystery Machine. On my mark, get ready . . . get set, " Fred paused, the spider was climbing to the top of the QuestWorld tower. "Now!" The teens dashed out the door, alerting the spider to their presence. Shaggy and Scooby had grabbed a few supplies from the kitchen, and now splattered ketchup and mustard all over the ground, making it slippery for the spider. The spider quickly righted itself, but it had given the teens the time they needed to get into the Mystery Machine and away. It wasn't until later, when they were sitting down at a diner for dinner, that they spoke.

"We're going to need to get back," stated Velma.

"What? Why? We have to find my dad and Race."

"Yes, but there might be clues the spiders left at the mansion," reasoned Fred.

"Or even a message," added Daphne.

"A message?" asked Hadji.

Velma nodded, "Right, maybe left by Dr. Quest and Mr. Bannon, or even by the spiders in case their boss wants to contact you." Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji glanced at each other.

"Alright, we'll go back, and we'll spend the night there."

"Good, we'll have the Mystery Machine ready in case we need to leave immediately."

"Good idea, Freddy."

"Yeah, like, Scoob and I left all our midnight snacks in our bags!"

"No wonder why those things were heavy!" Jonny exclaimed. The others laughed.

"Oh, do any of you know what Dr. Quest and Mr. Bannon were working on?"

"You can call him Race, and, they didn't tell us."

Velma sat back, resting her chin on her hand, "Hmm, that's interesting."

"You can say that again, Dad and Race usually tell us everything."

"Not always, Jonny, especially if they feared for our lives."

Jessie glanced at Jonny's watch, "We should get back then, I think we gave those spiders enough time to leave."

Fred nodded, "Right, let's go." They rose from their table after leaving some cash for their meal and piled back in the Mystery Machine. They made their way back quickly to the Quest mansion, only for Fred to stop abruptly in front of the mansion.

"Uh, why are we stopping?"

Fred pointed at the driveway,"Someone's here." The teens glanced at each other.

"Is there a place we can hide the Mystery Machine?" asked Fred. Jessie nodded and gave him directions to a spot they had just passed on the road. Then, single file, they stole back to the house. Fred and Jonny went ahead of the others to get a better look at who had arrived at the house. They hid behind a tree just outside the mansion with a clear view of the house and the car. They could see lights going on and off all over the property, but nothing else. A few minutes after positioning themselves behind the tree, whoever was in the house came out and got into the car. Fred and Jonny moved around the tree to keep out of the sight of the driver as the car drove away.

"Did you see him?" asked Fred.

"Not for long, but I think it was Professor Carlson, he was working with my dad and Race on the project."

"Hmm . . . well, I think we have our first suspect. Come on, let's get the others and search the house for clues." A few minutes later, the whole group was scouring the house for anything out of the ordinary and any messages. It was Jessie who found the first one.

"Hey everybody, look at what I found!"

"What is it, Jess?" asked Jonny as they met up in the living room.

She showed them a piece of paper, "It's not a message, but I think it was what Dr. Quest was working on with Professor Carlson!"

"Jinkies! This looks like advanced spy technology!"

"And in the shape of bugs! The perfect cover," stated Daphne.

"Like, they were taking that phrase, 'like a fly on the wall' a little too seriously!"

"That's the point, Shaggy, no one would think of looking closely at bugs," explained Fred.

"Freddy, want to show them what we found?"

"What did you find?" asked Jonny worriedly.

"On a hunch, Daph and I went to check out the QuestWorld tower, and we found this written on the side, probably left by the spiders," said Fred as he took out a piece of paper and handed it to Jonny.

Jonny read, "Go to the police and both Dr. Quest and Mr. Bannon will die. Do not worry about them, they are fine, for now. They will be returned when they have finished their work."

"Oh no, do you think an enemy spy ring found out about their work and wants them to finish the job for them?" asked Jessie.

"It's a possibility, for now, we should get ready for anything before going to sleep," suggested Fred.

"Good idea. Should we split up again?" asked Hadji.

Fred nodded, "Yes, Hadji, Shaggy, and Scooby, see what supplies we have in the kitchen."

"Why do I have to go with them?"

"To make sure they don't eat everything," Daphne explained.

"Oh, right."

"The girls will check clothes, make sure they're clean of any devices."

"Right."

"What will you and I do?"

"You and I will make sure the Mystery Machine is alright and that it has everything else we'll need for a quick get-away. Everybody know what to do?" They nodded. "Good, let's go." They didn't get far, though, as a vehicle roared into the driveway. A man with salt and pepper hair jumped out of the car and rushed to the house.

"Good heavens, what happened here? Is everyone alright? Where are Benton and Race?"

"Professor Carlson!"


	3. Get Away Van

"How did you know about Dr. Quest and Race disappearing?" Velma asked the professor as they sat down to some hot chocolate.

"I tried calling the place, and nobody answered. He was supposed to call tonight, there were a few last things we were going to go over before putting the pieces together."

"Putting the pieces together?"

Professor Carlson nodded after taking a sip, "Yes, we had decided to work on different pieces separately. Benton had told me it would be faster if we worked specifically on certain parts, now I'm wondering if it was because he knew there was a danger and he was protecting me, making sure at least one of us would be around to finish it." The professor sighed as he sank his head in his hands, "And now both men and the remaining pieces are gone. I can't finish it without them!"

"Don't worry Professor, we're working on getting them back," Fred informed him.

"You? But what can you do, you're just kids!"

Fred glanced at the others before explaining, "I don't know if you know us, but the four of us and Scooby are Mystery Incorporated, and we've solved dozens of mysteries before. Not only that, but Jonny, Hadji, and Jessie have helped Dr. Quest and Race solve a few of their own mysteries. We can definitely do it."

The professor shook his head, sighing, "I don't know, this might prove to be too much for you."

"At least let us try. We have to do something! The note told us not to go to the police!" exclaimed Jonny.

"I know, but I know of people who aren't police who can help."

"Professor Carlson, let us give it a try first. If we can't find them by next week, you can call your friends in. We'll give them everything we've found by then," suggested Velma.

The professor rubbed his chin, "Just for a week?"

"Yes."

"I guess so, but on one other condition, if it gets too dangerous you pull out and let my friends take over. I don't want anything happening to you kids, especially Jonny and Jessie. I'm sure Benton and Race would like to come home with their kids in one piece." The teens glanced at each other, nodding in agreement.

"Alright, Professor, we have a deal." Carlson rose and shook hands with Fred and Jonny.

"Wonderful, good luck, and be careful. I'd better get back now and hide my half of the project, just in case."

"Right, good luck to you too, Professor." Fred and Jonny saw him out the door, the two thinking along the same lines, wanting to see his car. It was a brown sedan he got into, not the black car speeding away earlier.

"Well, apparently it wasn't Professor Carlson we saw earlier," stated Jonny as he and Fred reentered the house.

"Right, but he did look a lot like him, didn't it?"

"Yeah, he kinda did."

"So, why didn't you guys want to show the Professor the blueprints we found?" Jessie asked when Fred and Jonny returned to the kitchen.

Velma explained, "Because there could be another reason why Dr. Quest had the project split up, he didn't trust Professor Carlson."

"Right, just because we now know that someone else was in this house doesn't eliminate the professor from our list of suspects."

"Man, you guys know how to cover all the bases, huh?"

"I think they have to, they have had lots of experience, Jonny."

"That's right, Hadji," Velma smiled.

"So what should we do now?" asked Jessie.

"Well, I think we should get back to preparing for a quick get-away. Look for any clues that our mysterious visitor might have left behind. I would like to have some idea of what we're up against."

"Yeah, like, we already know, Fred. Giant spiders, mad scientists, and possibly spies!"

"Shaggy!" everyone berated him.

"What? Like, we are still dealing with giant spiders."

"Right, giant, robotic spiders," muttered Jonny.

"Jonny, are you thinking . . .?"

"Dr. Zin? Yes I am, he's the only one I know of who's got anything like this. And this wouldn't be the first time."

"OK, then we have another suspect. We still have to find out who visited earlier, why they were here, and where Dr. Quest and Race are being held prisoner."

"And, like, keep ourselves alive."

Fred sighed, "Right, come on, let's get going. We've got a long week ahead of us." Fred led Jonny out of the house, while the girls went upstairs, leaving Hadji, Shaggy, and Scooby in the kitchen.

"We must be quick," began Hadji.

"Like, why, man?"

"Because I am tired and I want to sleep."

"Oh, right man, me too. What about you Scoob?"

"Reah, re roo."

"Then let us get started," Hadji stated, heading to the pantry. Shaggy and Scooby went the fridge and pulled out sandwich makings, the two working quickly to make a dozen sandwiches. Hadji watched them open-mouthed, though he began packing them in the picnic pack with chips and soda. "Wow, you are fast!"

"Yeah, like, being a detective has taught us fast reflexes." A low moan sounded behind them. "Uh, Scoob, like, was that your stomach?"

Scoob shook his head, "Ruh-uh, rou?"

"Nope, uh, Hadji?"

Hadji shook his head, "No." The three slowly turned to peek behind them, a half-human, half spider creature stood menacingly over their heads.

"Where are the blueprints?" hissed the creature.

"Like, out the door and down the road," quipped Shaggy as he and Scooby grabbed Hadji and the food, bolting out of the kitchen.

"You will not escape me!" screeched the creature, trying to follow. Shaggy and Scooby set Hadji and the food by the front door before grabbing and piling up furniture in front of the kitchen door. The human-spider screeched as it tried to open the door. The girls came rushing down the stairs.

"Shaggy, Scooby, Hadji, what's going on?" asked Velma.

"L-like, th-there's a h-human spider in there!" Shaggy exclaimed as he and Scooby grabbed Hadji and the food and bolted out the front door. As if to prove Shaggy right, the creature gave out a blood-curdling screech.

"Jeepers, we should be going too!"

"Let's grab the clothes first!" said Jessie. The girls raced back up the stairs, grabbed the luggage, and dashed to the Mystery Machine. Fred had the van ready to go, so as soon as the girls hopped in, they were off.


	4. Wheels Versus Legs

"So, what do we do now?" asked Jonny as the Mystery Machine sped away from his house.

"Yeah, like, this has gone up the creepy scale!"

"Reah, really reepy," echoed Scooby.

"The same thing we've always done, gang, find the clues, trap the monster, and solve the mystery."

"Like, I was afraid you were going to say that. Zoinks!" shouted Shaggy as he jumped into the very back.

"What is it/" asked Hadji.

"Like, there's something moving in that suitcase." Jonny leaned over and opened it before bursting out laughing.

"So that's where you've been hiding, Bandit. I guess the spiders overlooked you."

"Aw, he's so cute," said Daphne as she petted the little dog.

"Well, good, with an extra nose, maybe we can solve this mystery a lot faster."

"Like, I didn't want to get involved in the first place."

"Look on the bright side, Shaggy, you and Scooby won't be the bait this time."

"Ruh?"

"Like Scoob said, huh?"

"What do you mean by that, Daphne?" asked Jessie.

Velma turned to look back, "The spiders are more likely to go after Jessie and Jonny because of their dads."

"Oh, right. Hear that, bud, like, we don't have to be bait for once!"

"Reah! Rippee!" The gang laughed.

Jonny chuckled, "Sounds like you guys get chased a lot, huh?"

"Like man, you have no idea. Daphne is danger-prone but, like, Scoob and I seem to be magnets for scary stuff."

"Basically," chuckled Fred.

"Jinkies! Don't look now, but that creep and his spider goons are following us!"

"Zoinks! And they're gaining fast!"

"Hang on gang," stated Fred, hitting the gas. The van lurched forward, and the chase was on. Fred expertly drove through the city, screeching around tight corners, loopholing around the town center, and squeezing through alleys.

"Jeepers, he's not giving up!"

"Like, those spiders are climbing over houses just as easily, like . . . like real spiders!"

"Thank you Shaggy, not now!" exclaimed Velma, holding on to her seat as the van screeched around another tight corner.

"Gosh, hmm . . . I wonder . . ."

"Jonny, what are you doing?" Hadji asked as Jonny pulled out two pieces of paper and found a pencil.

Jonny placed one paper over the other, explaining as he drew, "What if he's not after me and Jess? What if he's actually after this piece of paper we found of Dad's work?"

"Hmm . . . that's an idea, let's see if it will work. Hang on." Fred drove under a bridge, pulled over, and parked the van, turning off the lights. "Alright, you might have about five minutes."

"Right," Jonny replied, drawing as quickly as he could.

"Um, Jonny, that's not right . . ," began Hadji as he looked over his friend's shoulder.

"Exactly, it will give Race and Dad some stalling time, and I'll work in a message. Hopefully they'll get it and hopefully they can send us some clue of where they're being held."

"Great, but, like, hurry it up man, I think ole spider legs just figured out where we are!"

"Got it! Fred, be ready to lose this baby out the window as we drive past that tree up ahead," said Jonny, handing Fred the fake copy.

Fred grinned, "Right."

"But, like, what if spider legs really is after you and Jess?"

"Then this should give us some time to get to a cave further down the road that we can hide in, Mystery Machine and all."

"Wait! I think someone should stay behind to see if it actually works!"

"Good idea Jess. I'll stay, I know where the cave is," volunteered Hadji.

"I'll stay with him," said Velma as she unbuckled.

"OK, but you two be careful," Jessie called after them as they got out.

Hadji nodded, "We will." He closed the door before he and Velma moved further under the bridge.

"Alright, everyone hang on tight, this one's going to be a doozy." Fred glanced at his rearview mirror, the spider humanoid and his spider robots were just arriving at the bridge. He flicked on the brights, slightly blinding the spiders, before taking off.

"After them!" Velma and Hadji heard the spider master shriek. The spider robots rushed forward, but paused at the other side of the bridge, Fred had dropped the fake. The spider master picked it up, browsing its contents.

It cackled, "This is it! Finally, we can return to Fort Knox, now Dr Quest can finish his project without interruptions or excuses, or else his son is the next target." With that, the spider creature and his robots took off. Only when they were certain that the spider quad was gone did Velma and Hadji speak.

"Jinkies! Fort Knox! But that's in Kentucky, and heavily guarded!"

Hadji rubbed his chin, "Hmm . . . I think there is another Fort Knox, Velma. We need to catch up with the others and find for sure!" The two began walking, Hadji leading the way to the cave. About halfway there, a pair of lights sped towards them.

"What are you guys doing back out here? I thought we were going to report to you in the cave!" exclaimed Hadji when the Mystery Machine pulled over to let them in.

"Well, we figured that since the spiders hadn't gone by in five minutes, they were looking for the Dr.'s paper."

"You were right, they were only looking for the paper, at least for now."

"If Dr. Quest did nothing, then they would be back, for Jonny," continued Hadji, glancing at his friend.

"Jeepers! Then we have to figure out where those spiders have taken them!"

"Well, about that, we did overhear him mention going back to Fort Knox . . ." began Velma.

"Fort Knox! Like, isn't that heavily guarded?"

"And back in Kentucky!"

"Actually, there is another Fort Knox, here in Maine!" exclaimed Jessie.

"Really?"

"Yeah, pull over at the nearest diner, there should be enough internet for me to pull up a map and show you." Fred pulled into the parking lot of the first diner they came to, and the entire group crowded into a couple of booths, ordering a bit of a midnight snack, though for Shaggy and Scooby, it looked more like a meal.

"What? We, like, have to keep our energy up for when we run from the spiders," explained Shaggy when Hadji shot him and Scooby a surprised glance. Jessie, on the other hand, had found what she was looking for.

"See? Fort Knox in Prospect, Maine, it's a little under an hour from here," she told them, pointing out their destination on the web map.

"Of course, the perfect place! It's abandoned and rumored to be haunted."

"Zoinks! Haunted! Like man, this just gets worse and worse!"

"Raunted! Roh ro!"

"But now we know where to start looking for Dad and Race, we should get going!" Jonny quickly stood up.

Fred nodded, "Right, we'll tank up first, and head out, we shouldn't be too far behind that spider creep." The group nodded their consent before paying their bill and heading back out to the Mystery Machine. After tanking up, they drove off, straight for Prospect, with a prospect of danger.


	5. Fort Knox

"OK, take a left here, it should be straight ahead," directed Jessie. Fred took the turn and pulled into the driveway for a bit before pulling over and parking.

"Alright, we'll go on foot from here, and keep quiet." The others nodded in unison as they followed Fred towards the old fort, single file. Fred didn't turn his flashlight on until they got into the fort, the moon was out, white light illuminating most of the surrounding area.

"Like man, this is perfect for spiders, dark and creepy."

Daphne ran a hand through her hair quickly, "Don't remind me."

"Gang, it's time to split up. There's a lot of ground to cover, the basement, this floor, the second floor, and the yard. Who wants to take what?"

"Like, Scoob and I will take the yard," Shaggy immediately stated.

Velma rolled her eyes, "Of course, I'll go in the basement. Hadji, you wanna come with me?"

"Sure, Velma."

"Jessie and I will take the second floor."

"OK, that leaves me and Jonny with this floor. Work as quickly and as quietly as you can, and be careful."

"Right," came the unanimous reply. But before they could begin their search, a bright light snapped on, showcasing the group.

"Hey, what are you kids doing here?" a gravelly voice came from behind the light.

"Ripe!" shouted Scoob as he jumped into Shaggy's arms.

"Oh, sorry sir, we didn't know there was anybody watching the grounds. We were just showing our friends a few haunted places around Maine while they're here," Jessie quickly explained. The light lowered, letting the teens get a glance at the thoughtful look on the guard's face.

He sighed, "Well, alright, as long as you don't take anything with you or attempt any kind of foolishness, got it?" The teens agreed with relief. "Oh, and if you come across that spider nerd, Peter Parker or whatever his name is, tell him his time is almost up, midnight is going to be here soon."

"Uh, sure, we'll let him know," replied Fred, glancing at his friends.

"Thanks, you kids have a nice night, let me know if you see any ghosts!" stated the guard as he walked off into the shadows.

"Like, he'll be sure to know if I see anything!" exclaimed Shaggy.

"OK, gang, let's get going. We're running out of time too." The others mutely nodded before taking off in their separate directions, Bandit trailing Fred and Jonny.

Velma and Hadji didn't have to t go far before finding something of great interest.

"Jinkies! This look like it's in secret code! But why do I get the feeling I've seen this somewhere before?" exclaimed Velma as she picked it up off the floor, just in the doorway of one of the tunnels. Hadji looked over her shoulder at the page of lines and circles.

"Why could it not be in Morse code?"

"Probably because we're dealing with a spy, they come up with all sorts of codes so that not just anyone can figure it out."

"Shall we look for more clues?" Hadji asked as he shone his flashlight down the hall.

Velma stuffed the paper into her pocket, "Yes, Dr. Quest and Race might have also left a clue."

"Right," replied Hadji. The two continued down the stairs, their flashlights beaming down every nook and cranny in the hopes of finding another clue.

"Jeepers!"

"Yikes!"

"Whoa, I am so sorry about that. I didn't know anyone else was here!" exclaimed the brunette as he helped Daphne and Jessie off the ground.

"Oh that's alright, we didn't know anyone else was here either!"

"Are you that Peter Parker the guard was telling us about?"

An eyebrow raised above his glasses before bursting out laughing, "Is that all he remembers? He said he needed my full name, so I gave it to him, Francis Peter Parker. Though, you girls can call me Frank, if you'd like." His twinkling brown eyes gave them a playful wink. The girls grinned back at him.

"It's nice to meet you, Frank. I'm Daphne and this is Jessie. The guard did say your time was almost up, it's getting close to midnight," stated Daphne as they shook hands.

Frank glanced at his watch, "Really? Golly, time does fly. Especially when you're watching slow spiders."

"So, you're an arachnologist?" asked Jessie as the two girls followed Frank a ways further down the hall. He stooped down to pick up some equipment.

"So to speak, I'm technically still in-training. This is my first project by myself."

"Oh,? What kind of spiders were you watching?"

"The regular kind since this is my first time. I have to have some kind of practice in before I start handling any of the poisonous ones."

"Jeepers! You have to handle the poisonous ones too?" exclaimed Daphne.

Frank nodded, "Of course, we're the ones who are called in to find them so we can find cures for the poison."

"Well, that's really brave of you," stated Jessie, crossing her arms.

Frank grinned, "Eh, not really, we're just spider-fanatics, that's all."

"And I bet Spider-man is your favorite superhero, right?" Jessie glanced at Daphne and the two started chuckling. Frank joined in.

"Yeah, I guess, I'm kinda named after him anyway. Are you heading back?"

"What do you mean?"

Frank pointed down a nearby stairwell, "That goes back to the front."

"What? We've already come all the way around?" Jessie and Daphne shared a surprised look.

"Yeah, that's why I came up here. Spiders prefer higher places, and there's less going on up here than on the main levels. That's where the majority of the ghosts are seen." Frank led the way down the stairs, Daphne and Jessie following after pausing for a bit to glance back behind them, making sure they hadn't missed anything. At the bottom of the stairs, Velma and Hadji were waiting.

"Hadji, Velma! How long have you been there?"

Velma shrugged, "Long enough to catch most of what you were talking about."

"I think we should find Jonny and Fred and help them, I think they have more to look through."

"If they're on the main, floor, yeah, there's a lot. The Captain's quarters are especially nice this time of year," grinned Frank.

Daphne crossed her arms, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Frank shrugged, "The Captain's ghost is usually seen this time of year, that's all."

"Oh, right, well, thanks for the tip, and good luck with the spiders," said Daphne before the four took off.

"Thanks!" Frank waved as the group left. As soon as they were out of earshot, Daphne asked her friends a question.

"What do you think guys? Is he an arachnologist, or our prime suspect?"

Velma pondered it, "I don't think he's a real arachnologist, he would have talked more about the spiders if they were really his passion. As for why he's really here, I have a hunch we'll be finding out soon enough."


	6. Discovery

It wasn't long before they found Fred, Jonny, and Bandit, they practically ran into each other.

"Hey! What's all the rush about?" exclaimed Jessie as they paused to take a breath.

"I-I th-think we lost them!" gasped Jonny.

"Lost who?"

"Let's duck in here, just to be on the safe side," stated Fred as he led them into an adjacent room. He closed the door once everyone was in.

"So, care to explain what's going on?" asked Jessie once the door closed.

"That creep and his robots were chasing us!"

"We haven't been able to find any clues!" moaned Fred.

"Well we did," reported Hadji.

"And we might have another suspect on our hands, Frank Peter Parker, claiming to be an arachnologist," stated Daphne.

"Good work! Hadji, Velma, what did you find?"

Velma took the piece of paper out of the pocket to show them, "This, it's definitely secret code, we just need time to figure it out."

"But how does that help us solve this mystery?" asked Jonny, glancing at the assortment of lines and circles.

"Easy, it means that a spy is behind all of this," stated Velma as she put the paper back in her pocket.

"And since you suspect that Frank really isn't an arachnologist, then maybe he's the spy!" exclaimed Jessie.

"It's possible, he was pretending to be an expert in spiders, and we are dealing with a half spider and his spider robots," pondered Fred.

"I still think Dr. Zin has something to do with it, and I wouldn't be surprised if Professor Carlson is in on it too."

"Wow, Jonny, you're certainly suspecting everybody," sighed Hadji.

"Yeah, whatever happened to 'innocent until proven guilty'?" asked Jessie.

"Our family is involved, and I'm not going to take any chances," growled Jonny.

"So what we need now is a plan." Everyone glanced at Fred.

"What kind of a plan?" asked Jonny.

"The 'trap a monster' plan, and I think I know how to do it. Jonny, Jessie, I'm going to need to you to lure them here. Think you can do it?"

"If it will help us find Dad and Race faster, you can count me in."

"Ditto."

"Great, Shaggy and Scooby would be glad to have a break," stated Fred before quickly explaining his plan.

Shaggy and Scooby were very glad to have a break, so glad that they whistled as they searched the grounds.

"Like, man, it's been a long time since we haven't had anything scary chasing us."

"Re've ralways reen rhased," pointed out Scooby.

"Sh, I'd like to just bask in this moment, Scooby, not having to worry about any creepy ole thing. Zoinks!" He jumped back as a little spider walked out from its hiding place.

Scooby snickered, "Rit's rust ra rittle role rider."

"'It's just a little ole spider' he says, those things are still creepy." Scooby just continued snickering.

"Ruh? Rat's rat?" Scooby pointed down at a mound on the lower level of the grounds. He saw a ladder close by and began climbing down.

"Like, be careful, Scoob." Scooby got to the bottom alright, then Shaggy descended the ladder. "Well, it doesn't look like ole spider legs and his robots are out prowling, so either they're busy chasing the others, or they've been caught by one of Fred's traps. Either way, it looks good for us to check out, come on." They tiptoed closer to the little mound and found the door, the key hanging from a little nook just to the left of it. "OK, be ready to run if something scary is inside." Scooby nodded, and Shaggy unlocked it, finally turning the knob after taking a deep breath. They peered inside, glancing around for anything out of the ordinary before tiptoeing inside. They bumped into something, and the lights went on.

"Zoinks!"

"Ripe!"

"Shaggy, Scooby, what are you two doing here?"

"Does it matter Doctor? We're finally free!"

"Dr. Quest! Race! Like, man am I glad to see you!"

"Reah, real rad!"

"And we you! But really, what are you two doing here?'

"Uh, like, we volunteered to check the grounds. We, like, thought we'd get a day off since those spider robots might go after Jonny and Jessie, so . . ."

"What? Are Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji here?"

"Yeah, with Fred, Daphne, and Velma . . ."

"They're here?" Dr. Quest asked incredulously.

"That was a bad idea. We have to find them and warn them. Who knows what that creep will do if he gets his hands on them. Come on!" Race led the way out of the little prison, armed with a flashlight and a sledgehammer, with Shaggy, Scooby, and the Doctor not far behind. They raced down a narrow hall leading back into the fort, a cry reached their ears that made them halt abruptly.

"Jonny!"

"That was Jessie! Come on, we're getting close!" They continued on, no other sound reaching their ears except for a slamming door.

"Jonny, Jessie, Hadji!" called out Dr. Quest.

"Dad!" came the response a few minutes before Dr. Quest nearly fell over from his son's tackle. "Race, you're both alright! Thanks Shaggy and Scooby!" Jonny quickly hugged his father again as Jessie ran into her father's arms.

"Dad! You're alright!"

"So are you! We heard your cry, what happened?"

"Sorry to have worried you, Mr. Bannon, but it was a ruse to get that spider creep and his minions into my trap," explained Fred as he, Daphne, Velma, and Hadji moved closer to the reunion. Dr. Quest smiled and beckoned Hadji closer, which he willingly obliged and hugged both men.

"So, we get out and you kids already have the guy all tied up, with a bow and all?" Race asked incredulously.

Fred chuckled, "Basically. Do you want to find out who's behind all of this?"

"Of course," replied Dr. Quest. Fred led the way back to a closed door.

"Mr. Bannon, could you help me with him?"

"Sure Fred, as long as you start calling me Race."

Fred grinned, "It's a deal." He opened the door and, with Race and Jonny's help, pulled out a rather cranky spider king. "Dr. Quest, if you'll do the honors."

"With pleasure, let's see which of our hunches are correct." He pulled off the mask to reveal the disgruntled look of a rather familiar face.

"Professor Carlson!"

"That's not me," came a voice from behind them. The gang turned and their mouths just about dropped. There stood the spitting image of Professor Carlson, flanked by Frank Parker, the guard, and a sandy-blond man about the same age as Frank.

Fred glanced back at the crook, "Then, who is this?" He noticed a line around the neck, and reached in to pull off a second mask. A scowling, green-eyed, totally different face peered up at them, his light brown hair messed up by the mask.

"That's Denis Andrews, JJ and I have been tracking him for months. He's one of the world's best spies, working only to the highest bidder, which happens to be North Korea," explained Frank.

"As we figured, a spy was behind it all," stated Velma.

"Huh, how'd you know?" asked JJ.

She pulled out a piece of paper, "This code, only a spy would really need a secret code to relay important messages."

"Not to mention the new spy gear Dr. Quest was working on," continued Daphne.

"And this pretty high-tech gear, the robots and his disguises," continued Fred.

"Wow, you guys are pretty good. and kinda cute," JJ winked at Jessie and Daphne.

"And I would have gotten away with if it hadn't been for you snooping kids," growled Denis as Frank handcuffed him.

"No, you would have gotten away with it if you hadn't kidnapped Dr. Quest and Mr. Bannon," retorted JJ.

"So that means you're a spy too?" asked Jonny. Frank and JJ laughed.

"Not really, more FBI than anything, but you can say we're part-time spies," grinned JJ.

"And we've got to thank you for helping us catch this crook." added Frank.

"Well, bro, let's go bring our pal to the boss, he'll be thrilled that the good Doctor and his family are safe and sound and that this guy is safely behind bars."

"Jinkies! I think I've got it! Hadji, this is Morse code, just arranged differently!"

Hadji glanced over her shoulder, "Why, you are right! Good job, Velma!"

"Oh, what does it say?" asked Frank.

Velma read out loud, "They must not know who you are, place the blame on Professor Carlson. Stop. Hyung-jun Rhee."

"Why that's the head agent of North Korea! That's a great find! We'll need that too."

"Right, and now we can translate anything they send! Thanks again, you guys."

"We'll be seeing you pretty girls later!" shouted JJ as they walked off. Fred and Jonny shot him a few glares before they disappeared into the night.

"Can we like, go now?"

"Of course Shaggy, we can go. We'll sleep well tonight, and breakfast is on me!"

"Woohoo! Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Reah! Rooby-Rooby-Roo!" Bandit echoed with a howl, making everyone laugh.


End file.
